ChowNow

JANUARY 23, 2025

Regular customers make up the backbone of any restaurants sales , but if you put a group of restaurant owners around a table, the conversation inevitably focuses on growth through new customer acquisition. But first, why is customer retention such a big deal? Sales: 80% of sales typically come from 20% of clients. Thats huge!

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2025 Loyalty Program Operations Email Marketing 195

ChowNow

APRIL 15, 2025

In this article, youll learn: The most important restaurant KPIs for restaurant profitability, efficiency, and growth How to calculate and benchmark major KPIs using simple formulas Practical tips for tracking KPIs without getting overwhelmed Lets start by breaking down what KPIs are, and why they require your attention.

Operations 195

Operations Email Marketing Point of Sale Online Ordering 195

ChowNow

APRIL 15, 2025

One of operators most difficult challenges is balancing restaurant operating costs without compromising the food, service, and customer experience that makes your restaurant unique. Meaning it doesnt matter how busy or slow you are, these restaurant operating costs dont change.

Operations 195

Operations Online Ordering Customer Service Customer Experience 195

ChowNow

MARCH 20, 2025

Every restaurant faces operational challengeseven with a great menu and a talented team, bottlenecks can slow service, frustrate customers, and cut into profits. Staff scramble, customers grow impatient, and suddenly, a busy night turns into chaos. Overworked employees and impatient customers.

Operations 195

Operations Online Ordering Customer Service Mobile Ordering 195

Restaurant Business

JUNE 13, 2025

Starbucks’ latest gambit to improve operations? She previously served as editor in chief of Winsight Grocery Business View All Articles by This Author Want breaking news at your fingertips? By Heather Lalley on Jun. Photo: Shutterstock Welcome to Restaurant Business’ Week in Review for the week of June 9, 2025.

Operations 221

Operations Leadership 2025 Fast Casual 221

ChowNow

FEBRUARY 12, 2025

By the time you finish this article, youll know how to approach restaurant marketing the right way and not waste time doing guesswork, crossing your fingers, and then hoping you see new customers walking through the door. Customers have more choices, higher expectations, and countless ways to discover (or overlook) your restaurant.

2025 195

2025 Marketing Email Marketing Operations 195

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 27, 2025

In today's digital landscape, restaurants have become prime targets for cybercriminals who take advantage of potential entry points from point-of-sale systems, online ordering platforms, customer databases, loyalty programs and third-party delivery services. Consider the alarming pattern over the past three years.

Insurance 282

Insurance Document Employee Relations 2023 282

ChowNow

MAY 30, 2025

Bad restaurant reviews might hurt in the moment, but every one of them is an opportunity to set things right with a disgruntled customer, get insight on how to improve your operations, and turn a negative experience into a chance for growth by showing future customers you care about their dining experience. And speed matters.

Operations 195

Operations Customer Experience Customer Service Dine-in 195

Restaurant Business

JUNE 20, 2025

Photo: Shutterstock Delivery and a take-home meal deal drove a lot more customers to Olive Garden this spring. The offer allowed customers to buy an in-store meal starting at $14.99 Olive Garden parent Darden Restaurants had long resisted third-party delivery, preferring to serve customers in its restaurants and control the experience.

Delivery 238

Delivery Fast Casual Leadership Point of Sale 238

Culinary Cues

MAY 1, 2025

Of course, if, in this case, too many restaurants open before the marketplace has a chance to catch up, then failure rates will increase regardless of how operators respond. That one restaurant in a crowded field of operations that chooses to make this one simple change towards excellent bread will push others to do the same.

Fine Dining 356

Fine Dining Innovation Consumer Goods Customer Service 356

Modern Restaurant Management

JANUARY 22, 2025

This article will explain how renovating a restaurant using 3D design technology saves time and money and delivers a better final result How 3D Modeling Simplifies Restaurant Renovation Planning Traditional methods do little to help one have an efficient and effective restaurant remodeling.

Design 221

Design Technology Fine Dining Fast Casual 221

Culinary Cues

MAY 12, 2025

A growing number of chefs are shifting their attention to independent operations that focus on foods with wider appeal that need a commitment to excellence. Cheese should be from a local or regional cheesemaker and let the customer know where it came from and why its so special. Ahbut there are signs of change.

Fine Dining 352

Fine Dining Seasonal Menu Front of House White Paper 352

The Rail

JANUARY 21, 2025

This leads to huge financial losses, operational inefficiencies, and environmental harm. This is where artificial intelligence (AI) comes in, providing game-changing technology that restaurants can use to streamline operations, minimize waste, and boost profits.

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Waste Compost Recycling Food 182

Restaurant Business

JULY 2, 2025

Photo: Shutterstock Waffle House customers no longer have to pay extra for eggs. Photo: Shutterstock Waffle House customers no longer have to pay extra for eggs. But not all breakfast chains chose to pass egg costs on to customers. View All Articles by This Author Want breaking news at your fingertips? Sign up here.

Pricing 184

Pricing Back of House Fast Casual 2025 184

ChowNow

MARCH 27, 2025

These metrics give you a clear picture of your delivery performancefrom order volume and customer retention to delivery speed and profitability. This might seem like a small detail, but it plays a big role in the overall delivery experience and significantly impacts customer experience.

Delivery 195

Delivery Online Ordering Loyalty Program Food 195

ChowNow

FEBRUARY 28, 2025

Each system has its own tablet, order flow, and set of requirements, making it difficult to keep up with operations smoothly. For restaurant operators, juggling Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Grubhub separately can lead to inefficiencies, mistakes, and frustrated staff. Tablet overload disrupts operations. Order management issues.

Delivery 195

Delivery Online Ordering Customer Service POS 195

Culinary Cues

FEBRUARY 5, 2025

This is not the normal amount of angst that has been present for decades fickle customer tastes, rising cost of goods, changing demographics, or escalating rents; there are far deeper concerns that make everyone scratch their heads in wonder. Every restaurant and restaurateur are struggling to figure it out how am I going to make this work?

Fine Dining 243

Fine Dining Food Supply Customer Service Recruiting 243

ChowNow

MAY 2, 2025

Youre not just managing food and staff, youre battling slim profit margins, high operating expenses, and constantly changing customer preferences. And with the often-repeated stat that the restaurant failure rate is sky-high, its no wonder so many operators feel like theyre one bad month away from closing. So why the disconnect?

Email Marketing 195

Email Marketing Social Media Cash Management Customer Service 195

Modern Restaurant Management

MARCH 14, 2025

Every kitchen operates under pressure, but small inefficiencies—lost tickets, misheard orders, inconsistent timing—can mean the difference between a smooth service and total chaos. The Chaos of the Line In a kitchen like The Bear's, the brigade system is the backbone of operations.

Front of House 221

Front of House Back of House FOH BOH 221

ChowNow

MARCH 13, 2025

Managing delivery orders shouldnt feel like running an obstacle course, but for many restaurant operators, thats exactly what it is. Its a recipe for chaos, leading to mistakes, slower service, and shrinking profit margins. The operational and financial benefits of integrating all delivery orders into one system.

Delivery 195

Delivery Food Food Order Point of Sale 195

ChowNow

APRIL 4, 2025

Thats why its important to get proactive and make it super easy for your happy customers to speak up about their experience. Most customers wont leave a review online unless theyre encouragedso give them a simple way to do it. This ensures that the information potential customers find is accurate and up-to-date.

Management 195

Management Management Social Media Online Ordering 195

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 12, 2023

From softwares like ChatGPT to self-driving cars like the Tesla Model 3, AI and automation are making remarkable strides In the restaurant industry, these solutions are streamlining various aspects, including inventory management, contactless ordering, customer behavior analysis, and more.

Customer Service 507

Customer Service Customer Experience Social Media Innovation 507

ChowNow

MAY 23, 2025

In this article, youll learn: Why every operator has to monitor their restaurant profit margins Why it can be so challenging to increase your profit margins How to improve your margin numbers Lets dig into why margins, not just sales, make or break a restaurant business. Your cost of goods sold (ingredients, beverages, packaging, etc.)

Point of Sale 195

Point of Sale Insurance Fast Casual Customer Service 195

ChowNow

FEBRUARY 13, 2025

Most of the restaurant technology tools operators use every day were first introduced years ago, but it wasnt until the 2020 Tech Boom, brought on by COVID-19, that widespread adoption became essential. Are you aiming to speed up service, cut labor costs, or increase online sales? Can it increase sales or customer retention?

2025 195

2025 Technology Loyalty Program Mobile Ordering 195

Restaurant Business

JUNE 17, 2025

And fast-food customers Convenience-store foodservice grew 5% last year and is expected to jump another 5.7% And the tactics are quickly stealing customers from restaurants. this year, according to the 2025 Convenience Store Trends Report released Tuesday by customer experience solutions and mystery shopping firm Intouch Insight.

Food 275

Food Fast Casual Leadership Loyalty Program 275

Modern Restaurant Management

JULY 13, 2020

Owning and operating a restaurant is not for the faint of heart. The ‘New Normal’ Before we delve into how AI can drive growth, let’s first focus on the basics: Improving customer experience. Preventing customer indecision. Telling the customer what to do next. Restaurants Aversion to Technology.

Customer Experience 596

Customer Experience Food Safety Food Supply Technology 596

ChowNow

FEBRUARY 5, 2025

When customers are looking for a new place to eat, one of the first steps in that journey is checking reviews. After reading this article, you will realize that reviews are your most valuable online asset, and leaving them unattended is unthinkable. Make sure its prominently placed so customers dont have to hunt for it.

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2025 Customer Experience Customer Service Website Management 221

ChowNow

APRIL 11, 2025

Their sleek design and intuitive user interface make them a natural fit for a modern restaurants day-to-day operations. Its going to get dropped, splashed with sauce, and maybe knocked off the bar by a customers pursethats just part of the deal. That adds up to a better customer experience and fewer misfires during the dinner rush.

Front of House 195

Front of House Allergens Online Ordering Back of House 195

Modern Restaurant Management

OCTOBER 24, 2024

Read any article enumerating the current or emerging trends in restaurants and retail and you will see ideas of health and wellness, environmental sustainability, and brand authenticity coming to the fore. A combined score of 80 out of 200 is required. Once that is submitted you are subject to a thorough review.

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Certification Fast Casual Government Front of House 221

ChowNow

MARCH 28, 2025

These are tools that can help you streamline operations, easily schedule staff, and make sure you never run out of ingredients for your best-selling menu items. AI is no longer just a buzzword, its a reality that is reshaping how restaurants operate, interact with customers, and make decisions.

Front of House 195

Front of House Back of House Online Ordering Email Marketing 195

Modern Restaurant Management

JUNE 15, 2021

The ingrained customer behavior over the past year, delivery, mobile orders, curbside pick-up, will likely continue. The pandemic effectively accelerated trends in how restaurants interact with customers. Lavu, the restaurant technology services company, estimates 42 percent of food purchases are made online.

Technology 508

Technology Loyalty Program Front of House Online Ordering 508

Perfect Daily Grind

JULY 1, 2025

However, this narrative oversimplifies the complex web of operational costs that shape retail prices in the coffee sector. The reality is far more complex, and unless coffee businesses are willing to discuss the many factors influencing their prices, they risk alienating the very customers they rely on.

Pricing 90

Pricing Operations Café Consumer Goods 90

ChowNow

JUNE 27, 2025

Restaurant review sites aren’t just for diners—they’re also savvy tools for restaurant operators to gather customer feedback and help control the narrative around their dining experience. Below that, you’ll see a “what’s the vibe” section where customers can post images of inside, outside, food, and anything else they find interesting.

Website Management 195

Website Management SEO Book Customer Experience 195

Restaurant Business

JULY 2, 2025

At the same time, Kahn was working on revamping the simple syrups, developing them in house and creating flavors like habanero, ginger and lavender to add complexity and more customization to the margarita lineup. Condado Tacos also carries about 80 tequilas so customers can spike a drink with their favorite brand.

Fast Casual 239

Fast Casual Beverage Back of House Leadership 239

ChowNow

MARCH 7, 2025

Restaurants collect a ton of customer data. Think about it: What if you could automatically send a special offer to a customer who hasnt ordered in a while? When used strategically, customer data can help you personalize marketing, streamline operations, and create a better dining experience for your guests.

Loyalty Program 195

Loyalty Program Email Marketing Online Ordering Point of Sale 195

ChowNow

APRIL 11, 2025

Fortunately, theres a better way: integrating your delivery services into your restaurants POS system. In this article, well explain how both types of integration work, weigh the pros and cons, and help you decide which approach makes the most sense for your restaurant.

POS 195

POS Online Ordering Demo Point of Sale 195

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 25, 2022

Operating a successful restaurant is no easy task, and the fruits of your labor are dependent on a variety of factors. Quality food and top tier service with the incentivization of loyalty programs and a good location should be enough to get a good share of local customers. But what happens when you hit your local ceiling?

Email Marketing 473

Email Marketing Social Media Food Truck Loyalty Program 473